The sport of Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus (“SCUBA”) requires that a diver carry a portable supply of air from which to breathe. Early divers found it was most convenient to carry this tank on their back, attaching it with a harness that could be tightened around the diver's body. Over time the sport became more popular and various mounting systems were developed. These systems typically share several common features. They provide for a tank which is attached to a lift device (Buoyancy Compensator) and then attached to the diver's body. Historically the most common system was to attach the tank to a rigid plate known as a backplate. This backplate was adjusted by the diver as a means to hold the tank steady. Over time this hard plate was integrated into a portion of the lift device and the system was designed to fit the diver like a jacket. This “jacket style” buoyancy compensator was built to match a variety of sizes i.e. small, medium, large; in many cases they also provided some measure of adjustability.
Adjustability of various diving systems has been an issue since the advent of SCUBA. This is because individuals of various sizes must personalize the SCUBA rig in order to prevent the tank from shifting. In the past, as well as today, various products allow the diver to move the webbing to tighten or loosen the fit of the SCUBA system. Ease of adjustment was quickly seen as an important feature as was ease of removability. Divers wanted systems they could easily fit to their person but also systems that allowed quick removal. This latter concern is especially relevant in emergency situations where a diver must quickly be removed from his or her equipment. Because typical backplate designs are cumbersome to adjust and relatively slow to remove, many manufactures began using a “quick release” buckle; this is also known as a “side release buckle”. This buckle allowed the diver to depress tabs and release the webbing, freeing the system. These buckles were also typically designed so that the diver might easily tighten or loosen the strap while maintaining the continuity of the webbing.
The aforementioned adjustability creates two notable problems. First, divers using a quick release buckle might suffer from an accidental release, freeing the system unintentionally. In this case it is possible for the diver to become separated from their life support system. Secondarily, the adjustability of the webbing is accomplished by weaving a free end of the webbing through the buckle. This routing leaves a tail that hangs below the diver. This dangling strap can catch on protrusions, snagging the diver or damaging the environment.
The instant inventor has always prioritized the need to avoid both risks by promoting continuous “one piece” style webbing. Other manufactures also use one piece webbings that are not notably dissimilar to very early diving systems. However, systems that utilize a one piece design are difficult to adjust and are not quickly removed during emergencies. The present invention is directed addressing the above and also provides many other benefits and advantages.